Open Thread: Juan Cruz signs, finally

I wanted the Yanks to sign Juan Cruz back in early January, but alas, they never showed serious interest in him and Cruz ended up with the Royals. The terms: 2 years, $6M guaranteed with a $4M option for a third year. The Diamondbacks received Kansas City’s second round pick (because the Royals’ first rounder is protected) and a sandwich rounder as compensation, giving them 5 of the first 44 picks and 7 of the first 62. They can do some serious damage this year. You can see the up-to-the-minute draft order at our 2009 Draft Order Tracker.

To make room for Cruz on the 40-man roster the Royals designated utility man Esteban German for assignment, and I hope the Yanks at least kick the tires on him. German has been outrighted before (by the A’s back in 2004) and has plenty of service time, so if he clears waivers he’ll have the ability to refuse an assignment to Triple-A and become a free agent. Obviously, that’s when the Yanks should look at him, and on a minor league deal only. There’s no way you give him a Major League deal or claim him on waivers (putting him on the 40-man).

Basically, all German offers is versatility and a replacement level bat, although in 2006 and 2007 he was a 1-1.5 win player off the bench. He’s only played 36 innings at short the last three years, but he’s seen plenty of time at second and third. Offensively, about the best you can hope for at this point is .260-.310-.340 with maybe a dozen doubles and a rare homer, but hey, if he’s willing to come in and compete for a job, why wouldn’t you do it? The more competition the better, I say.

I know he didn’t need the money but he flat out lied to the Yanks by indicating he would sign. If not they draft that guy later, not in the first round.

Artist formerly known as ‘The’ Steve

Maybe he didn’t lie, maybe he made the commitment and his parents jumped in at the last minute and talked him out of it. He hired Boras as his advisor, that’s about as clear a sign as possible that you’re serious.

I understand things didn’t work out, but adding malicious intent on his part is something I’ve never seen any evidence to support.

Drew

Still, if he’s is not with the yanks, I hope he spends his first 6 seasons in baseball purgatory.

A

May be he wanted a 40 man spot like Brackman. Yanks probably said no since he was out of high school.

Chris

The Yanks were told that he decided not to sign. As far as I heard, there was no offer or negotiations.

http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike A.

Good grief, get over it already. He didn’t lie. The Yankees knew going in that there was a decent chance he would go to school, and that’s what he chose to do.

Cole had every right to change his mind after the fact, and he doesn’t owe the Yanks anything. Hiring Boras is a pretty clear sign that he was seriously considering signing at one point.

http://actyankee.blogspot.com Matt

Buzzkill….

http://www.retire21.org Mike R. – Retire 21

Oh on the contrary…he’s quite a master of the humorous yarn. Do you know the tale of how corn mill came to be?

Him not signing doesn’t upset me. But with Cashman not blaming Boras puts it on the Coles.

jllive

Seriously guys, it’s time to move on. You are not going to sign every guy that is committed to school. Plus, he was talking smack about the Yankees on his facebook page. Why would you want a guy like that on your team? He also seems like kind of a head case and look at what the Yankees did with Tabata last season. We’re better off for it.

GG

Another variable which remains to be seen is what we draft with the protected pick we have from the whole situation. Only after you see how Cole and whoever we take with the pick both pan out can you actually be upset or happy over the situation.

Chris

Of course, his development will be much different pitching for UCLA than it would be pitching in the Yankees system, so even then you can’t make any reasonable comparison.

http://actyankee.blogspot.com Matt

I hear what your’e saying, but I highly doubt that whoever the Yankees take will be better than Cole. We’ll see, though.

GG

I would def agree its not likely someone with as much raw talent is drafted.

Yeah I guess I can see that because the offense was real strong that year. I feel like everyone likes to play that game (compare to one of the Cup winners), but this team looks different to me. The Devils have never lost their greatest strength for a long stretch and had to improve in other areas to make up for the loss, and then had that weakness disappear, before. I’m really impressed with what they’ve done this season. I’m so confused as to whether they should go out and make a deadline deal or not.

One thing I’m not confused about… I hope the Rangers decide to acquire a piece or two before the deadline and try to make a run. I don’t think they have what it takes to win in the postseason, I hope they trade away some picks and useful young players for some rental players. Mike – Where do Rangers fans come down on this? Do you want them to go for it, or plan for the future and maybe even try to sell off some pieces (no better time to try to unload bad contracts).

http://actyankee.blogspot.com Matt

The Natural is on. I know this thing back and front after writing a paper on this, The Searchers , The Iliad , and The Odyssey .

http://www.puristbleedspinstripes.com Rebecca-Optimist Prime

I chose the wrong career path.

http://liberalmusings.wordpress.com Pablo Zevallos

How did you manage to write one paper on all four??? (unless you wrote four different papers)

Btw, I’m up to the last chapter of The Great Gatsby. You were right, the book is amazing. I’m dying to know what the end is.

http://www.puristbleedspinstripes.com Rebecca-Optimist Prime

Really? I hated Gatsby the first time I read it.l Thought it was better the second time, though.

Wrote a paper on how Gatsby is a total gangster.

http://actyankee.blogspot.com Matt

It was one of the multiple books I read in the eleventh grade that made me want to be an English major come college.

http://liberalmusings.wordpress.com Pablo Zevallos

How hard is it to read William Faulkner’s books (I’m supposed to read some in my English class next year)?

http://actyankee.blogspot.com Matt

I’ve only read one. Sanctuary was incredible but also very violent. When I have time over the summer, though, I’m gonna get more into him.

mtt

The difficulty of Faulkner’s books varies. When I was in high school we read As I Lay Dying, which wasn’t too difficult, but there was still enough going on to make it interesting. Two of the four segments in the Sound and the Fury are particularly difficult, but they’re worth it. One is written by someone without a real sense of time and the other is written by someone, for lack of better words, rather pretentious.
I found reading both to be difficult, but not too difficult. There were a handful of unfamiliar words, and some very long paragraphs, but in all I found it easier to get into than some other famous difficult books.

http://meadowparty.com/blog/ Keith Law

As I Lay Dying is a pretty easy read, as was The Reivers, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction but isn’t usually mentioned among his best works.

Absalom, Absalom is amazing but is an arduous read because of the man’s apparent disdain for punctuation. The story – IMO, a metaphor for the rise and fall of the American South – is just a knock-you-on-your ass epic.

http://www.puristbleedspinstripes.com Rebecca-Optimist Prime

Hmm. The books that did that for me were Catcher in the Rye and MacBeth. However I ultimately ended up majoring in history and minoring in English/creative writing.

http://actyankee.blogspot.com Matt

I hated “Catcher” the first time I read it when I was a freshman in HS, then I read it again as a junior and loved it. “Macbeth” is probably my favorite Shakespeare play. He’s another one who had to grow on me. I hated him in high school but once I got deeper into him at college, I realized how incredible he really was.

http://liberalmusings.wordpress.com Pablo Zevallos

I read Catcher this year (also as a freshman) and I loved it. The anti-“phon[iness” war was fascinating, particularly since Holden wasn’t always sincere himself. I’m supposed to read Macbeth around April.

http://www.puristbleedspinstripes.com Rebecca-Optimist Prime

See when I was in high school the teachers took the time to explain all the juicy bits and double entnedres. Made it loads o fun.

http://liberalmusings.wordpress.com Pablo Zevallos

Lucky. My teachers discusses some of the reading and leaves half as fair game for an essay (up to one’s own imagination/interpretation).

http://actyankee.blogspot.com Matt

It was on all four; the paper was on the Homeric tradition in contemporary American film. The main characters have very similar arcs, in which they start out like Achilles–seeking fame, glory, immortality, dominance on the field, etc.–to more Odysseus like characters, in that they’re trying to find “home,” or their place in the world. I was going to post some of it on the blog, but it’s 20 pages long. That paper was my entire grade for one class.

Gatsby is one of my favorites. I re-read it for fun all the time.

http://liberalmusings.wordpress.com Pablo Zevallos

That is deeeeeep stuff.

http://actyankee.blogspot.com Matt

Haha, it was a hard paper to complete but it was a) fun to write and b) I felt incredible after I finished it.

http://www.puristbleedspinstripes.com Rebecca-Optimist Prime

So apparently at RAB we’re not only big baseball fans, but we’re purveyors of fine cinema and fine literature.

What’s next, a discussion on Rothko vs. Warhol?

http://actyankee.blogspot.com Matt

Never was into art all that much. How about Coleridge v. Wordsworth?

http://liberalmusings.wordpress.com Pablo Zevallos

T.S. Eliot v. W.E.B. DuBois?

http://actyankee.blogspot.com Matt

I was unaware we could do a debate about them. Did you mean Booker T. Washington and DuBois? Funny story: even though they were “rivals,” it was discovered upon his death that Washington donated a bunch of money to DuBois’s causes.

I don’t mind him, but he gets boring after a while. I feel like he’s a predecessor to Whitman but Whitman’s like…800 times better.

crappy

rothko, while a tremendous artist, was really just an artist – even though he was part of a post-war “scene” not unlike (or at times removed from) the beats.

however, warhol was far more than just an artist. first off, there’s still many who do not consider what he did to be art. but more importantly (and unlike rothko), warhol created the “artist as brand name” capitalism machine, which was then followed by the likes of Haring, Koons, Damien Hrist and Takashi Murakami, among others.

I could go on, but I can hear the snoring already…

Reggie C.

I prefer World War Z myself Matt.

http://www.puristbleedspinstripes.com Rebecca-Optimist Prime

Wish the yankees would draft some position prospects…I mean, I know we have some, but do we have anyone that will be remotely able to take over for Jeter in a couple of years, if not before?

anonymous

They did draft Garrison Lassiter last year who alot of people liked. But we dont have anyone coming up in the next couple years no.

K.B.D.

And Angelini the year before.

Drew

Can’t Joba play SS? :)

Reggie C.

you know the answer to your own question. Its a resounding no! The Yanks haven’t had a lauded SS in the system, since … DJ?? There’s actually some quality depth in the SS position in this year’s draft. I think one of ‘em has definitely got to be available when we draft. Of course, if there’s a petulant high-ceiling RHP that falls to us , the brass will probably go for the pitcher.

Artist formerly known as ‘The’ Steve

The Yankee system is very heavy with pitchers for two reasons

-They’ve needed them for the past 5 years or so in both the bullpen and rotation

-Pitchers are generally worth less than positional prospects for a variety of reasons (Shortstops are especially valuable). Yanks draft at the bottom, so the top positional prospects are generally taken already.

Paulie

Mike, are you doing a review of the Show?

http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike A.

Eventually. Probably late next week. I have some other stuff in the works before that.

Tom Zig

Prospect profile? …… please?

Timmy

On the same subject: Can you make it play a song at a certain point in the game? For example, New York New York at the end of the game, or all those songs that play in the beginning of the game.

Tommy S.

The reason these newspapers are hurting aren’t only because of the internet, look at the newspapers that are hurting right now, they are pretty much all filled with liberal editorials. People are tired of that crap. The only people that buy into those ideals are people who are on welfare or people who are generally uneducated, with the exception of a few people who actually buy into that crap, and the majority of those people don’t read the paper. These papers have alienated their readers who are tired of such biased and one sided news. It just sucks because these papers have good sports sections, it’s just a shame that we might lose some quality sports writing because of the liberal agenda.

http://www.puristbleedspinstripes.com Rebecca-Optimist Prime

What. The. Fuck.

Uh, I’m wealthy, in pursuit of a MA, and liberal to the fucking core.

My friends are the ones writing the editorials you read. Sod off.

Tommy S.

You are one of the view that buy into those ideals. If everyone one was like you these newspapers wouldn’t be having these problems.

I’m finishing up my BS in economics this semester, and I’m headed to law school next year. Most people I know that have any sort of intelligence see right threw the shit that liberals spew out.

http://actyankee.blogspot.com Matt

When talking about intelligence, it’d probably be worthwhile to use the right version of “through.” Your logic here is also pretty flawed. You have conservative friends so all liberal viewpoints are shit? It’s one thing to disagree, it’s another thing to do what you’re doing. What you’re doing is why intelligent discourse about any issue is impossible in this country.

Tommy S.

I was just writing my view on why newspapers sales are struggling and how it’s a shame for a lot of great sports writers. I didn’t think there would be such a large amount of intolerance to what I thought. Wow, you say one little thing and so many people get offended.

http://www.puristbleedspinstripes.com Rebecca-Optimist Prime

It’s not your view, it’s the way you stated it–blanketing every liberal as a welfare idiot, when, in fact, that is largely not the case.

In fact, on the whole, liberals tend to be better educated than conservatives. It doesn’t mean that conservatives don’t have some valid views on certain issues, but just that your argument skills make me shocked you got into law school at all.

http://actyankee.blogspot.com Matt

Well, when you say the viewpoints of a pretty large part of society are all “shit,” that in and of itself is pretty intolerant. Just sayin’.

Artist formerly known as ‘The’ Steve

“What you’re doing is why intelligent discourse about any issue is impossible in this country.”

That’s not true. It just requires a little civility and some humility, understanding that no Right/Left ideology has all the answers.

Personally, I think Pablo has the right approach. When someone comes here looking for a fight, don’t give them what they want.

Tommy S.

I completely agree, you all assume I’m a conservative. I consider myself a libertarian. The bottom line is that a healthy democracy requires a complete range of opposing ideologies. I think that liberals are wrong. That doesn’t mean I’m correct, it’s just the way I feel about things. I respect your views, I wish that people would respect mine.

http://www.puristbleedspinstripes.com Rebecca-Optimist Prime

Like I said, it’s not your views we have an issue with. It’s the way you presented them.

“The only people that buy into those ideals are people who are on welfare or people who are generally uneducated, with the exception of a few people who actually buy into that crap, and the majority of those people don’t read the paper… I’m finishing up my BS in economics this semester, and I’m headed to law school next year. Most people I know that have any sort of intelligence see right threw the shit that liberals spew out.”

I agree that healthy argument is important and beneficial. However, you should probably drop the martyr routine. You came around using insulting language (in an inappropriate forum, no less) and now you can’t act all insulted when people react angrily to you. There are ways to make an argument without insulting your opponents, and a less confrontational approach would be much more effective and palatable for all involved.

andrew

And the Honorable Congressman has spoken.

Tommy S.

You win Rebecca, there is no talking to you. Even your name reflects how much better you are than everyone else.

Tommy S.

You’re definitely right, I can’t believe I didn’t use the correct spelling of through. What would have I done without you.

http://www.puristbleedspinstripes.com Rebecca-Optimist Prime

You know, I don’t see how a basic belief in equal rights for all regardless of gender, sex, sexual identity, race, religion, creed, ethnicity, handicap, wealth or fandom is, in fact, liberal BS.

And besides, I fail to see how anyone that doesn’t understand that a society is only as strong as its weakest member is any more intelligent than anyone else.

*steps off soapbox*

Artist formerly known as ‘The’ Steve

You made a distinction between gender and sex.

I’m confused, explain that one to me.

http://www.puristbleedspinstripes.com Rebecca-Optimist Prime

One term is applicable in graduate level coursework. The other is not.

Artist formerly known as ‘The’ Steve

That is NOT the answer I was looking for.

http://www.puristbleedspinstripes.com Rebecca-Optimist Prime

I only ever disappoint.

http://www.puristbleedspinstripes.com Rebecca-Optimist Prime

Also, sex refers to biological genitalia, whereas gender refers to the norms associated with said organs.

http://actyankee.blogspot.com Matt

Finally, I don’t feel like a dork for being the only one who thinks that way. Thank you.

rafael

You’re not the only one who thinks that way, there are a whole bunch of people.

It is amazing, however, how many people can’t fathom this.

http://www.puristbleedspinstripes.com Rebecca-Optimist Prime

Welcome.

Johnny Palker

I wish you would step off a soap box.

RichYF

I’d LOVE to know which “law school” decided you were an adequate applicant.

Tommy – This isn’t an attack and I hope you don’t take it that way… but writing skills are of the utmost importance in the legal field. You should really concentrate on strengthening your writing skills if you intend to pursue a career as an attorney.

http://www.puristbleedspinstripes.com Rebecca-Optimist Prime

I know. If I was a better person I’d ignore them…

andrew

If I were a better person I’d ignore them…
jeez…

Artist formerly known as ‘The’ Steve

Dude, this is a sports site.

Tommy S.

OK, I’m not going to respond anymore, this is a site about the Yankees. I just wanted to talk about why I thought the newspapers were having such a hard time and all of a sudden I have four people trying to prove that they’re better than me. I guess I should have known better. Next time I’ll keep the word liberal out of my post, it seems to offend a lot of people.

RichYF

It wasn’t the word liberal that offended me. Hell, even if I weren’t liberal I’d be offended because you sound like a pompous ass. Calling liberals uneducated and poor is just silly. It basically makes you look ignorant. You attempt to refute this by stating you’re going to law school as if that’s supposed to impress anyone.

I attacked your grammar because that’s the first portion of your argument you should improve in order to stop looking like a jackass. At least then you’re more well-versed than my 12 year old cousin.

Mhmm…that’s why Barack Obama won the election (even though he isn’t precisely a liberal) and the Dems have a 59-40 majority in Congress.

“These papers have alienated their readers who are tired of such biased and one sided [sic] news.”

At least the NY Times gives the facts…even Tucker freakin’ Carlson said that! And liberals are the fastest-growing ideological group.

http://liberalmusings.wordpress.com Pablo Zevallos

Sorry that it sounds obnoxious, but I the way you put it caused many impassioned responses, mine among them.

Artist formerly known as ‘The’ Steve

. . . and because you got mad, you turned into the Left-wing version of Tommy’s post.

Now wouldn’t it have been better had we all just IGNORED Tommy’s attempt to start a fight, as YOU first suggested?

Tommy S.

Exactly

http://liberalmusings.wordpress.com Pablo Zevallos

You’re right. I’ll be neutral in the event that this happens again.

http://www.puristbleedspinstripes.com Rebecca-Optimist Prime

So this database I have to do is boring the crap out of me.

I wish it could be a database on the Yankees. Speaking of which, if there was ever an opening for official Yankees historian, I’d be set for life.

Artist formerly known as ‘The’ Steve

Maybe the people who produce “Yankeeography” could use some research assistants?

Artist formerly known as ‘The’ Steve

Dude, this is a YANKEE site.

http://liberalmusings.wordpress.com Pablo Zevallos

Fine, I get it. Go Yanks!

Tommy S.

At least we can all agree on that.

http://actyankee.blogspot.com Matt

Amen, brother.

Tom Zig

Not to get into politics or anything, but O’Reilly has 2 masters. You are correct on Hannity and Limbaugh not having college degrees though.

http://liberalmusings.wordpress.com Pablo Zevallos

Right. My bad, yo.

usty

A college degree is a piece of paper. My boss who runs databases has an AA in music but got tons of job experience. That’s a flawed argument. Not having a piece of paper doesn’t invalidate any good ideas.

And Keith Olbermann might have that paper, but he is still just as much of a douche as Bill O’Reilly. I guess it just comes down to which douche yells out things you agree with.

tretiak

Pablo seems to forget the other famous product of that liberal bastion known as Cornell…Ann Coulter!

dkidd

brad pitt is slated to play billy beane in moneyball. revenge of the nerds!

http://actyankee.blogspot.com Matt

Now everyone’s gonna jump all over Moneyball because Brad Pitt is playing Beane.

Reggie C.

ERGH….

Giants brass talks with Rocky Bernard are “heating up” according to Rotoworld (citing Newark Star). Damn. I woke up excited today thinking Chris Canty could be the next addition to the DL. The guys on the NFL network were talking about how the G-men would easily have the best defensive team in the NFL with the additions of Bolley and Canty, but its looking like that was a pipe dream. Canty is likely looking for more guaranteed money than Reese is willing to give. Bernard is likely rotating in and out with Cofield and Robbins, so he’s going to take less.

I’m dying to know how Reese upgrades the WR position. If we sign Bernard… is there enough money left over to get TJ Houz?

http://bigbluepinstripes.blogspot.com/ LB

They are still going to be talking to Canty tomorrow, so who knows if they can work something out. I know it seems unlikely, but you never know.
I’m not too enamored with Housh, but if we can somehow get him at a bargain price, sign me up.

andrew

Do you really want Housh? The man is a soon to be 32 year old possession receiver that the LIONS were pursuing to be their #2. His YPC has declined for 5 straight seasons, and his overall stats have been on a steady downward trend for the past 3. Pass.

Also, Canty was asking for $8 million per year… I personally don’t think he’s worth that much.

http://6pound8ouncebabyjoba.blogspot.com Kevin

I agree that it would be nice to get German, but why would he sign a minor league deal? If he opts to be a free agent its because he does not want to play at triple A for Kansas City, so why wouldn’t he try to find somewhere where he would be almost guaranteed of a major league spot?

The Jets totally should if it’s the case.
Weird stuff going on in Denver

Artist formerly known as ‘The’ Steve

Damn, A-Jax is FAST. He hit a line drive right back to Henn, he turned, threw immediately, the second baseman turned the DP quickly and they STILL just barely got him at first. He might have even been safe. Should have been an easy DP and he made it very close.

John

not as fast as gardy

Tommy S.

How old is Jackson? It seems like he’s been in the farm system forever. I just wish that the yankees would finally have a long term answer for the CF spot already.

http://actyankee.blogspot.com Matt

He just turned 22.

And, I’d assume he’s that answer if he can put up an average CF bat and good defense.

Tommy S.

Yeah, I think he batted .285 in double A last year with a little bit of power. I just don’t know it that will eventually translate once he gets to the big leagues.

http://actyankee.blogspot.com Matt

.285/.354/.418, 19 steals (76%), 9 HR

Honestly, if he could mimic that line at the Major League level (easier said than done) and play good defense, I’d be ecstatic.

http://actyankee.blogspot.com Matt

I just hope people don’t expect him to be like Mickey Mantle when he gets up there. He’s not gonna be a .300/.400/.500 guy which is absolutely fine with me. He’s a great prospect, no doubt, but the expectations shouldn’t be too lofty.

GG

I think we all would be.

Drew

I dont know where the hell you came up with 19 SB but I think if thats what he gets I’ll be disapointed, and so would he. Since going pro his worst season total was 19 and that was in 70 games.

http://actyankee.blogspot.com Matt

I was posting his line from Trenton last year.

usty

Trenton is also the petco of minor league fields. If you want to get really excited, look up his home/road splits.

Tommy S.

I would be pumped if he put up those numbers in the big leagues.

http://www.retire21.org Mike R. – Retire 21

Brett Gardner is so fast he once hit a bunt triple.

Artist formerly known as ‘The’ Steve

That’s funny, but his speed does cause infielders to rush throws and make mistakes. So ‘bunt doubles’ aren’t out of the question.

http://www.YouTube.com/kevyyankees Kevin G.

Which of the 5 tools does he have?

Artist formerly known as ‘The’ Steve

Hammer toes and a wrenched back.

Drew

If you don’t love Dwyane Wade you have issues.

Artist formerly known as ‘The’ Steve

I don’t have issues, I have subscriptions.

Drew

What a game!! for us heat fans anyway..

Drew

BTW, Nate robinson is out of control, hanging out with Tlladega Nights during the game, and wtf is that putting the gun back in the holster and running man BS? I don’t know who he thinks he is.

Artist formerly known as ‘The’ Steve

Plaxico Burress?

Drew

No! Come on man! Plaxico doesn’t need a holster he unloads the clip in his leg.